Device for automatically feeding blowpipes employing rods



Jan. 16, 1968 F. v. DANDREA ET AL 3,363,780

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING BLOWPIPES EMPLOYING RODS,

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 7, 1965 Gwen for' 'ANDR A 2,5; r! I ivja l- E A 2, 7?

fi-H-o r'rny DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING BLOWPIPES EMPLOYING RODS Filed Sept. 7, 1965 Jan. 16, 1968 F. v. QDANDREA ET AL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ve/vfS: Hm WNMEA [ow/S M'NTO LE- A'H-v rmzy Jam. 16, 1968 F. v. DANDREA ET AL 3,363,780

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING BLOWPIPES EMPLOYING RODS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. '7, 1965 .91 Men 7 0 7'5 Pa /Is! D EA AD 's T0 L-LE- 7 ,1 41%;

United States Patent 6 3,363,780 DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING BLOWPIPES EMPLOYING RQDS Flix V. DAndrea, Asnieres, and Louis Minjolle, Evreux,

France, assiguors to Commissariat a IEnergie Atomique, l aris, France, a French body corporate Filed Sept. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 485,256 Claims priority, application France, Sept. 9, 1964, 987,545 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-15) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE A device having a feed support on which rods to be consumed in the blowpipe are disposed in side by side relationship, the support being movable in step by step manner so as to present the rods in succession to the blowpipe and slidably mounted in slideways and inclined for moving solely under the effect of its own weight.

The present invention relates to projection blowpipes employing rods or bars and more particularly a device for automatically feeding rods or bars to such blowpipes.

According to the invention this automatic feed device comprises in combination, a feed support on which said rods are disposed in parallel relation to each other and which is movable in a step-bystep manner so as to present the rods in succession in a given position in alignment with the biowpipe, a device for pushing the rods and engaging them in the blowpipe, and a device for shifting the support when a consumed rod leaves said support.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawings to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside of the feed support showing the device which shifts the latter in a step-by-step manner, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a detail of the device for pushing the rods.

In the embodiment shown by way of example in the drawings, the feed device according to the invention is designed to feed rods in a continuous manner to a conentional blowpipe of the projection or jet type which is shown diagrammatically at C and comprises two knurled driving wheels M and M which feed the rods in a regular manner into the gun of the blowpipe in the usual way. These wheels are rotated by an electric motor (not shown). tube 1 (FIG. 1) secured to the head of the blowpipe, introduces the rods into the head between the two wheels M and M A feed support consisting of an inclined plate P on the top face of which are provided parallel grooves 2 in which the rods B (for example rods of non-ductile metals or ceramic rods) are positioned, is disposed in the vicinity of the blowpipe C, so that when the plate is shifted, the rods are presented exactly on the axis of the tube 1. For this purpose, the plate is slidably mounted in parallel slideways or rails 3 and 4 (FIG. 3), in which it moves under the effect of its own weight. The slideways and the assembly of the device are supported by a suitable stand of which four uprights 5 are shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3.

Mounted on the bottom face of the plate P and parallel to the slideways, is a rack 6 which has offset teeth,

described in more detail hereinafter, and feeds the plate in a step-by-step manner.

Mounted facing the blowpipe C on the other side of the plate P and extending above the latter, is a device for pushing the rods into the blowpipe when the rods are presented on the axis of the tube 1. This device comprises a cylindrical thrust element 7 provided with an axial bore and slidably mounted on the latter on a cylindrical bar 8. The bar is secured to the stand at one end and extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the tube 1 throughout the width of and above the plate. A finger 9 is fixed under the thrust element 7 and is applied against the end of the rod so as to push the latter in the direction of the blowpipe. The thrust element is urged in the direction of the blowpipe by a device including a counterweight and a chain 10 which is secured at 11 to the thrust element under the bar 8, passes around a pulley 12 mounted on the free end of the bar near the blowpipe C, extends through an aperture 13 in the upper part of the thrust element and finally passes around a pulley 14 which has a spindle fixed to the stand and is spaced away from the plate. A weight 15 is suspended from the free end of the chain 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

When the thrust element 7 has reached the end of the corresponding groove 2 and the rod B being consumed has left the latter, the thrust element is returned to its starting position by a return device comprising a lug 16 fixed to an endless belt 17 mounted on two pulleys 18 and 19. One of the pulleys, 18, is mounted on the stand in the vicinity of the pulley 12 of the bar 8 and the other is mounted on the shaft of an electric motor M, secured to the stand in the vicinity of the other end of the bar 8. In the course of its travel with the belt 17 the lug '16 bears against the forward face of the thrust element as shown in FIG. 4.

The feed device also comprises means for shifting the plate in a step-by-step manner so that a groove 2 carrying a rod places itselft exactly on the axis of the tube 1 when a consumed rod has left the plate. This device comprises a rack 6 (FIG. 3) which includes two rows of teeth, 20 and 21, offset from each other, the offset between two successive teeth of each row corresponding exactly to the distance between the axes of two successive grooves. In other words, the space between two consecutive teeth 21 and 22 of the rack is equal to one half of the distance between the axes of two successive grooves of the plate. The shifting device also comprises a retaining finger 22 mounted in such manner as to be movable along the teeth of the rack without leaving the latter and thus pass from one tooth to the other in accordance with the direction of its movement owing to the offset between successive teeth. This finger is rigid with a tube 23 which is alidably mounted on a fixed bar 24 extending under the plate P and supported at its end in the vicinity of the blowpipe by an element fixed to the stand (not shown). The end of the tube which is the nearest to the blowpipe is connected in a resilient manner to the bar 24 by a spring 25 (FIG. 3). Fixed to the other end of the tube spaced from the plate is an abutment plate 26 which extends upwardly and against which the rear part of the thrust element 7 is capable of abutting (FIG. 3). i

The feed device also comprises electric means automatically controlling the devices described hereinbefore. These means are shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 and comprise:

(1) A switch C which has a spring return, is normally open and disposed with respect to the plate in such man ner as to be closed by the thrust element 7 when a rod which has been almost completely consumed has left its groove. This switch is connected by a conductor 30 to one J! of the terminals of the motor M and by a conductor 31 to a supply conductor 32 leading to a source of current.

(2) A normally closed switch C placed on the same side of the plate P so as to be opened by the lug 16 when the latter is moved by the motor M. This switch is connected to the same terminal of the motor M as the switch C by a conductor 33 and to the supply conductor 32 by a conductor 34.

(3) A normally open switch G which is adjacent the switch C and is capable of being closed by the thrust element 7 at the same time as the switch C This switch C' is connected to the supply conductor 32 by a conductor 35 and to a normally open switch C by a conductor 36. The switch C is so disposed on the stand of the device that it is closed by the plate P when the latter reaches the lower end of its travel after the finger 9 of the thrust element 7 has travelled through the last groove. The switch C is connected to the source of current by a conductor 37 in which is inserted an electrovalve Ec controlling the supply of the blowpipe if the latter is equipped with an automatically ignited and stopped device such as that described for example in the United States patent application No. 484,677 of Louis Minjolle on Sept. 2, 1965 for: Control Device for Metallizing Gun which h: 5 matured into Patent No. 3,318,359.

A conductor 33 connects the second terminal of the motor M to the conductor 37.

The device according to the invention operates in the following manner:

Let it be assumed that the plate P is in such position that a rod E placed in a groove 2 is in process of being consumed by a blowpipe C. The plate P is locked in position by the retaining finger 22 against which a tooth 20 of the rack 6 abuts, the spring 25 maintaining the tube 23 in its extreme left position as viewed in FIG. 3. During this operation, the finger 9 of the thrust element 7 is held against the free end of the rod by the action of the weight but the rod is fed forward by the wheels M and M of the blowpipe. The lug 16 of the endless belt 17 is normally in rest and abuts the switch C which is opened so that the motor M does not operate.

When the thrust element 7 reaches the vicinity of the edge of the plate adjacent the blowpipe, it encounters the switches C and U The position of these switches is so calculated that the plate P has sufiicient time to feed a new rod before the as yet unconsumed end of the pre ceding rod has reached the wheels M and M Consequently it closes the circuit of the motor M which starts up and drives the belt 17 and the lug 16 (which abutted the switch C in the direction of the arrow F (FIG. 4) at a speed which is distinctly higher than that of the feed of the rods between the wheels of the blowpipe (preferably four times higher). It will be observed that with the switch C normally closed, this departure of the lug 16 closes the circuit of the motor M and thus ensures continuity of the action of the switch C The lug 16 bears against thrust element 7 and returns it to the other edge of the plate and at the same time raises the counterweight 15. When the thrust element reaches the edge of the plate opposed to the blowpipe it comes in contact with the abutment plate 25 of the retaining device and urges the retaining finger 22 to the right (FIG. 3) in opposition to the action of the spring 25. When the thrust element reaches the end of its travel on the bar 8, the finger 22 passes from one tooth 20 to the following tooth 21 of the rack owing to the offset arrangement of these teeth and to the action of the plate which moves under the eifect of its own weight and advances a distance corresponding to half a groove. Meanwhile, the lug 16, in continuing its travel, passes around the pulley 18 and releases the thrust element 7 which, under the effect of the counterweight 15, returns in the direction of the blowpipe. The retaining finger of the plate then returns towards the left (FIG. 3) under the effect of the spring 25 and, owing to the effect arrangement of the teeth, allows the plate to move through a further distance corresponding to half a groove, the retaining linger 22 being then in abutting relation to the following tooth 20 of the rack. At this moment the plate P has moved forwardly one groove 2 since the start of the operation, and the finger 9 of the thrust element bears against the following rod and urges it in the di rection of the blowpipe until it is drawn in behind the preceding rod by the knurled wheels. At this moment the lug l6 (driven by the belt 17 at a higher speed) leaves the thrust element 7, encounters the switch C and stops the motor M. The initial position is thus reached but with the following rod engaged in the blowpipe.

It will be observed that the switch G has no action if the plate has not reached the switch C and as the electrovalve has not been excited. The blowpipe continues to be fed.

If there were no rod in the following groove, the thrust element '7 would have been retained by the lug l6 and the action of this thrust element on the switch C would have started a further cycle until the finger 9 of the thrust element encountered a rod in a following groove or the plate P, in moving downwardly each time groove by groove, reached the lower end of its travel and actuated the switch C connected in series with the switch C' If the two switches O and C are simultaneously in action, the switch C being actuated by the plate P and the switch C'; by the thrust element 7, this means that there are no longer any rods in the feed device. This condition causes the blowpipe to stop by a closing of the circuit of the electrovalve Be.

When the plate is at the end of its travel, it is removed from the slideways and replaced without any difficulty by another plate loaded with rods.

Owing to the device according to the invention, it is possible to provide an extremely interesting automatic projection system avoiding any manual intervention in the course of operation and causing no disturbance of the operation of the blOWpipe itself whose settings remain same. As no part of the blowpipe is modified the device can be mounted on any type of projection blowpipe. This device permits avoiding hasty manipulations of rods which might be very fragile. They could be mounted on the plate before the latter is engaged in the slideways. In this Way it is also possible to effect remote-controlled projections under glove boxes or in a special atmosphere.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. Automatic feed device for projection blowpipes fed with rods or bars, said device comprising in combination a movable feed support for receiving thereon said rods in parallel relation to each other, means for moving the support in a step-by-step manner for presenting the rods in succession in a given position in alignment with the blowpipe, a device for pushing the rods and engaging them in the blowpipe and a device for shifting the support when a rod about to be completely consumed leaves the support, said support being a plate having on the top face thereof parallel grooves for receiving the rods, the plate being slidably mounted in slideways and inclined so that it moves solely under the effect of its own weight.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device for shifting the support comprises a rack fixed under the bottom face of the plate and comprising successive teeth offset from each other, the successive teeth being spaced from each other a distance equal to one half the distance between the axes of two consecutive grooves of the plate, and a movable retaining device comprising a finger capable of moving from one tooth to the next of the rack 5 under the successive opposed actions of the device for pushing the rods and of a return device.

3. Device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plateretaining device comprises an abutment rigid with said finger and against which the thrust element bears in the course of the return movement of the latter to its initial position, and a return spring for returning the finger and the abutment when the thrust element no longer acts on said abutment, the arrangement being such that the plate advances a distance corresponding to half the distance between two grooves when the finger moves in one direction and the same distance when the finger moves in the other direction, whereby the plate presents a new rod in front of the blowpipe When the thrust element is once again in position for pushing the rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cherry et a1 214-1 Meincke 26623 X Fischer et a1. 2.14-1.4 X Barron et a1 214-14 X Kendall et a1. 2.141.5 X Megel 214-1.2 Maurer 214310 Mancia 214-1.2 X

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Examiner. 15 G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

